MRS. LAWTY. One never knows what to think!
MRS. WARREN. Clara! Clara!
(_CLARA enters from the hall. She holds a letter in her hand._)
CLARA. Yes, ma'am.
MRS. WARREN. Did you find Betty?
CLARA. I went to her room again, ma'am, but she did not seem to be in
and she is nowhere in the garden.
MRS. PICKERING. Not in her room! Not in the garden!
MRS. WARREN. You mean, Clara, she is nowhere to be found? Clara, was her
room disturbed ... I mean, did it look as if ... as if ... as if she
might have left hurriedly?
CLARA. Why, I didn't go in, ma'am. The door was locked.
MRS. WARREN. Locked?
LADIES. (_Looking at each other knowingly_) Locked!
CLARA. Here is a note, ma'am. It was just left by Doctor Hunter's boy,
ma'am.
MRS. PICKERING. A letter!
MRS. ROMNEY. From Doctor Hunter!
MRS. LAWTY. Perhaps they _have_ eloped!
(_The ladies jump to their feet._)
MRS. LAWER. And her room locked ... she must have gone through the
window!
LADIES. Gone!
MRS. WARREN. (_Who has been too busy looking for her spectacles to
notice what has been going on about her_) Why, it is a letter for----
(_She looks up._) Ladies, what is the matter? What has happened? Why are
you all so excited?
MRS. LAWTY. Don't you understand? It is a letter from Doctor Hunter
saying they have eloped!
MRS. WARREN. (_Sinking deep into her chair_) Oh!
(_BETTY appears in the door at left._)
BETTY. Ladies.
MRS. WARREN. (_Waving the letter weakly_) Betty! Betty! Betty!
BETTY. Mother!
MRS. WARREN. (_Looking up_) Betty ... Betty, is that you?
LADIES. Oh!
BETTY. Why are you all so--excited? Mother, what is it?